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A systematic review of cross-cultural comparison studies of child, parent, and health professional outcomes associated with pediatric medical procedures

Kristjánsdóttir, Ólöf LU ; Unruh, Anita ; McAlpine, Linda and McGrath, Patrick (2012) In Journal of Pain 13(3). p.207-219
Abstract
The purpose of this review was to evaluate systematically all published and unpublished research concerning culture and medical procedural pain in children. Databases, reference lists, and electronic list servers were searched as data sources. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (80%) were conducted solely in the United States comparing Caucasian American groups to other local subculture(s) (ie, African American, Hispanic, or Japanese). The studies compared, cross culturally, pediatric pain-related outcomes in children, parents and/or health professionals. The medical procedural experiences included surgery, immunization, spinal tap, bone marrow aspiration, needle procedures, orthopedic, and wound-related injuries. The... (More)
The purpose of this review was to evaluate systematically all published and unpublished research concerning culture and medical procedural pain in children. Databases, reference lists, and electronic list servers were searched as data sources. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (80%) were conducted solely in the United States comparing Caucasian American groups to other local subculture(s) (ie, African American, Hispanic, or Japanese). The studies compared, cross culturally, pediatric pain-related outcomes in children, parents and/or health professionals. The medical procedural experiences included surgery, immunization, spinal tap, bone marrow aspiration, needle procedures, orthopedic, and wound-related injuries. The evidence published to date suggests that cultural factors may be associated with children's pain experiences when elicited by medical procedural pain, specifically children's pain behavior. Nevertheless, research using more sophisticated research methods is needed to develop culturally sensitive behavioral pain measures. Measures that include physiological pain parameters in addition to other behavioral outcomes may be helpful. Culturally comparative research would benefit from the use of theoretical frameworks to advance our understanding of the cultural underpinnings of child pain development and guide future research.

PERSPECTIVE:
The current evidence supports that children and parents belonging to cultural minority groups, and in need of health care, are a vulnerable population. Together, researchers and clinicians are encouraged to explore this understudied area, and take advantage of sophisticated methods developed by disciplines like cross-cultural psychology. (Less)
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author
; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cross-Cultural Comparison, Pain, Parents, Children, Child health care, Caregiver, Health professionals, medical procedures, Systematic Review
in
Journal of Pain
volume
13
issue
3
pages
207 - 219
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84857779057
ISSN
1526-5900
DOI
10.1016/j.jpain.2011.12.008
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
f93c1c73-acf6-4166-aeb0-66e292b65b54
date added to LUP
2019-06-21 17:40:03
date last changed
2022-03-18 02:11:29
@article{f93c1c73-acf6-4166-aeb0-66e292b65b54,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this review was to evaluate systematically all published and unpublished research concerning culture and medical procedural pain in children. Databases, reference lists, and electronic list servers were searched as data sources. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (80%) were conducted solely in the United States comparing Caucasian American groups to other local subculture(s) (ie, African American, Hispanic, or Japanese). The studies compared, cross culturally, pediatric pain-related outcomes in children, parents and/or health professionals. The medical procedural experiences included surgery, immunization, spinal tap, bone marrow aspiration, needle procedures, orthopedic, and wound-related injuries. The evidence published to date suggests that cultural factors may be associated with children's pain experiences when elicited by medical procedural pain, specifically children's pain behavior. Nevertheless, research using more sophisticated research methods is needed to develop culturally sensitive behavioral pain measures. Measures that include physiological pain parameters in addition to other behavioral outcomes may be helpful. Culturally comparative research would benefit from the use of theoretical frameworks to advance our understanding of the cultural underpinnings of child pain development and guide future research.<br/><br/>PERSPECTIVE:<br/>The current evidence supports that children and parents belonging to cultural minority groups, and in need of health care, are a vulnerable population. Together, researchers and clinicians are encouraged to explore this understudied area, and take advantage of sophisticated methods developed by disciplines like cross-cultural psychology.}},
  author       = {{Kristjánsdóttir, Ólöf and Unruh, Anita and McAlpine, Linda and McGrath, Patrick}},
  issn         = {{1526-5900}},
  keywords     = {{Cross-Cultural Comparison; Pain; Parents; Children; Child health care; Caregiver; Health professionals; medical procedures; Systematic Review}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{207--219}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Pain}},
  title        = {{A systematic review of cross-cultural comparison studies of child, parent, and health professional outcomes associated with pediatric medical procedures}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2011.12.008}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jpain.2011.12.008}},
  volume       = {{13}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}